There You Stand (Between Breaths 5)

I felt rather than heard his intake of breath while his abdominal muscles contracted beneath my touch. It felt easier knowing this closeness affected him as much as it did me. I loosened my grasp but by the time we were on the street, I didn’t care anymore. I clutched tighter and tucked my head, my stomach performing a damn acrobatic routine.

I could smell him. Sweat and moss and cedar mixed together. I had the urge to bury my nose in the center of his back, my lips wandering upward to the nape of his neck.

He was an alert driver, looking in every direction, as hyperaware of his surroundings as ever. His caution transferred to me, and a shiver travelled across my shoulders. He must’ve felt it because his hand moved back and fleetingly squeezed the fist that clutched his shirt, before falling away.

Each time he rounded a corner, I braced my thighs reflexively against his torso because it was difficult to relinquish control and simply hang on. This might have seemed like a simple ride on the outside, but it was hard to trust someone when you’ve rarely seen them vulnerable.

Before I knew it, we were on my street and it hit me that he hadn’t even asked for directions. How in the hell did he know the town house I lived in?

Maybe Jude had checked up on me and was way more dangerous that I had given him credit for. Maybe he had this bike because he was an honorary member of the Disciples of the Road. Or a new recruit.

I had a feeling that if I asked him, I’d get no response, so I just dropped it. When he came to a full stop at my doorstep, I carefully climbed off the back.

“Hey, thanks,” I said, retreating to the door. “Sorry that I took up so much of your evening. I’ll get Chopper from you first thing and we’ll be out of your hair.”

I noticed how he thinned his lips and tucked them inside his mouth as if to stop himself from saying something. Probably because I was a sweaty, rambling, pathetic mess.

I looked down at his bike, the red paint, the chrome wheels, appreciating that it had ended up being a pretty sweet ride.

“Do you ever . . .” I shook my head. “Never mind.”

Still he didn’t move, as if imploring me with his eyes to ask my question.

I thought of David and me out on the open road, camping a couple of hours away, beneath the stars. “Ever go for a long ride out of town? It’s a nice change of scenery.”

I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, considering my question. He’d said tons of words to me already tonight but now I was intruding again. It was those quiet moments between his words that pierced me and caused the most damage.

His voice had filled up the hollow, but now his silence emptied it.

I started moving toward my door. “Forget it.”

“I—” he began speaking and I stopped forward progress immediately. “I should do it more often. Been on the go so much lately that staying put felt good for a change.”

And then as if he regretted giving me that kernel of information, he broke his gaze and wheeled the bike around to make his exit.

As my mind ticked through options of why he’d moved around so much, he lifted his hand in a wave.

You’d never suspect it was Jude York on that motorcycle with that helmet planted firmly on his head. He was such a fixture on his skateboard that he became an enigma right then. I couldn’t help wondering what it might feel like to drive off into oblivion with him by my side.

***

I shot up in bed realizing I had slept in late and had a shift in a couple of hours. I had missed my workout and walk. Not that I could make it with my damn foot problem.

Outside of some tightness and throbbing, I could tell my ankle felt better this morning. I didn’t need stitches for Christ’s sake. If I got my ass in gear now, I could walk with Ace to pick up Chopper.

When my doorbell unexpectedly rang, Ace ran to the front room and started barking. I threw on a pair of sweat shorts and hobbled to the door. Jude and Chopper stood on the landing. Fuck, I had taken too long.

“I thought you could use the rest,” Jude said after tearing his eyes away from my bare midriff. Instinctively I raised my hand to my chest, maybe in a lame attempt to cover up, and his gaze followed my fingers.

I worked hard to keep in shape and the guys I’d been with seemed to appreciate the effort. I didn’t have six-pack abs but I knew I was built. The way Jude was looking at me right now made me want to grab him and pull him inside my house so I could shove my tongue down his throat.

The front of my sweats tightened in response and I took a leveling breath to grab hold of my damn fantasies. I had no clue what Jude’s story was, it was difficult enough building an acquaintance.

“I bet you had a good sleepover, Chopper.” I patted him on the head and let him inside where he circled and nuzzled Ace.

Jude bit his lip as he bent over and removed his skateboard from his Velcro backpack.

“How did you know where I live anyway?” I asked as he placed one foot on the board.

His eyebrows slammed together and his lips drew in a straight line.

“It’s just . . . you never asked for directions last night.”

His eye narrowed and I had no clue why he’d be so pissed at my query.

“You know what, screw it,” I said scraping my fingers across my abs in frustration.

As he began rolling away, I bit out, “Guess you used up your word quota for the week.”

His head and shoulders slumped forward and all I felt was hollow.

Chapter Nine

During the next couple of days, scabs had formed on my shin and foot and my limp was less prominent. After icing my ankle for one more night, it was back to normal the next day. The guys at Raw Ink gave me shit for being such a klutz and when Dex had asked what the hell happened, he could not get over my story.